Note-sheet.



P. WUEST, JR,

NOTE SHEET.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 17, 1904. 1,1 1 1, 1 21 Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

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PHIL/P WUfJT JR,

THE NORRJS PETERS C0.. PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON. D. C.

v STATES PATENT oEEIo PHILIP wUEs'r; JR, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIGNoE To THE AUTO- MANUAL'PIANO AcTIoNcoM NY, OF PHILADELrIIIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A coa- PoItATIoN or NEW JERSEY.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PH LIP WUEsT, Jr.,

' of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Note-Sheets, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to perforated webs or sheets of paper, or like material, arranged to control the operation of a mechanical musical instrument, as for instance, a piano player, by being progressed over a pneumatic tracker bar provided with a series of apertures leading to respective motor valves. Such an instrument is provided with a tempo controlling device, usually compris ing a lever arranged to traverse a tempo scale having numbered graduations.

.As heretofore constructed sheets of the class specified are not provided with any indications. of the measures or other time divisions of'the musical.composition represented therein, and therefore it requires a skilled operator to play, with such sheets, any composition requiring recognition of such divisions, for instance, .solo accompaniments. Y g

It is the object of my invention to provide a note sheet with indications, upon its face,

determining the precise regions thereof corresponding with the pulses of the musical composition, so that even an unskilled op erator may be apprised thereof, in advance of the registryof the same with the tracker bar of the instrument which is being played, and, be thus enabled to control the operation of the instrument in proper time with the independent rendition of a solo.

As hereinafter described my invention provides a sheet of the class specified with rhythm indicators comprising lines extending transversely with respect to its length, which lines are located at the regions of the sheet corresponding with the pulses in the musical composition, although they may be irregularly spaced in reference to the length of said sheet, it being understood that there is no uniform relation between the length of such a sheet and the location of pulses in the composition represented by it; the distance between the adjoining rhythm indicatingmarks being varied in accordance with the tempo of the composition.

My invention also comprehends such ar- NOTE-SHEET.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept, 22, 1914 Application filed May 17, 1904. Serial No. 208,370.

rangeinent of the rhythm indicators aforesaid, that they may also indicate the correct position of the tempo controlling device, either by an interruption in their transverse length corresponding with the determined position of said device, or by a symbol, associated with said lines, manifesting such positlon.

My invention comprises the various novel features of construction and arrangement hereinafter more definitely specified and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I, is a plan view of a fragment of a note sheet, conveniently embodying my invention. Figs II and III, are planviewsof fragments of note sheets showing modified forms of my invention.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. I, the note sheet 1 is provided with perforations 2, representing the musical composition, and the transverse lines 3, and

4, respectively indicating the accented and unaccented pulses of the rhythm. Said lines 3, may be broader than the lines 4, to

distinguish the accented pulses from those which are not accented, or such distinction may be otherwise made; forming said lines of different colors.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. II; the lines 3, and 4:, are provided with symbols 6, indicating variations in tempo, contermaoraneous with the respective pulses; the numerals marked in the'circles corresponding with the numerals on the tempo scale of an ordinary musical instrument with which said sheet is adapted to 006p erate.

In the form of my invention shown in Fig. III; the symbols 8, indicating the tempo, are located in the lines 3, and 4E, transversely with respect to the sheet, in definite relation to the corresponding position of the tempo controlling device indicated by the numerals marked within the circles of said symbols.

In order to mark sheets in the manner indicated in the several figures, I find it convenient to provide a master note sheet roll with marginal apertures 10, 11, shown in Fig. III, in registry with the respective rhythm lines 3, and 4, which apertures are arranged to uncover a pneumatic duct or ducts controlling a suitable marking or for instance, by

printing mechanism, when such a sheet is progressed over a tracker bar operatively connected therewith.

Although said marginal apertures 10, 11, are conveniently formed as open notches, it is to be understood that they may be circular perforations similar to the perforations rep-- resenting the musical composition.

A sheet constructed in accordance with my invention is used as follows: The sheet being mounted in a suitable musical instrument and the sheet thereon being progressed over the tracker bar, the difierent pulses of the rhythm of the musical composition being played are indicated in precise time by the successive registry of the lines 3, and 4, either with the apertures in the tracker bar, or with an auxiliary device comprising an index point, for. instance, the circle 12, in the field 13, carried by the arm 14:, indicated in Fig. I, and the operator is thus enabled to note the a proach'of the lines indicating accented an unaccented pulses to the tracker bar, and the exact moment of registration of said lines with the apertures of the tracker bar. By the information thus afforded, even an unskilled operator can be apprised of the proper period at which to manipulate the tempo and expression controlling devices, so as to correctly reproduce a given musical composition, or what is even more difficult, to lay an accompaniment with the proper emp asis and in proper relation to a solo played or sung by another person. Moreover, such indications of the pulses of the measure in the improved sheets enable the operator to control the loud pedal mechanism more intelligently than with ordinary sheets.

It is to be understood that the arm 14, may be operatively connected with the tempo controlling device, so that as the transverse rhythm lines 3, and A, are successively presented in registry with the circle 12, 1n the field 13; said arm14, may be shifted transversely in accordance with the tempo symbols associated with said lines, and thus effeet the indicated variations in the tempo with proper relation to accented or unaccented pulses of the music.

I do not desire to limit myself to the procise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention.

I claim 1. A note sheet for self-playing musical instruments having apertures arranged in longitudinal sequence thereon for controlling the playing devices, said sheet havi transverse lines of different character a ternately arranged thereon, said lines bein located on said sheet in such relation to sai apertures as to accord with the accented and unaccented impulses of the music respectively, and also in such relation to a predetermined point in the field of vision of the operator that said lines when passing said point indicate to the operator the proper period at which to manipulate the controlling devices in accordance and unaccented impulses of the music.

"2. A note sheet for self-playing musical. instruments, having apertures arranged in longitudinal sequence thereon for control ling the playing devices, and having transverse lines of different character alternately arranged and located with relation to sai apertures in accordance with and unaccented pulses of the music, and also having symbols arranged upon said lines, to designate the successive positions of the speed controlling mechanism proper for cor-"- r-espondence with said pulses, substantially as set forth. I

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this fourteenth day of May, 1904.

PHILIP WUEST, J n.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patent.

Washington, D. G.

with said accented the accented 

